After witnessing a week full of blockbuster matches at the Paris Olympics, players are now all set to kick-start their preparations for the US Open. Talking about preparations, what’s a better stage than the 143-year-old outdoor hard-court event in Canada? Several tennis stars have already landed on the ‘Land of Lilies,’ but who will bloom to the fullest?

If we take a look at some heavyweight clashes, Danish tennis star Holger Rune will take on the local lad, Milos Raonic in the R64 of the Canadian Open. Who will win this battle on Tuesday (August 6)?

Holger Rune vs Milos Raonic: Preview

Holger Rune has come close to winning a title multiple times this year, but the 21-year-old has failed to deliver when it mattered the most. One final, three semi-finals, and three quarter-finals are a testament to it! Due to his wrist injury, he had to withdraw from the Olympics at the last minute. He last played in the quarter-finals of the German Open, where he was forced to give a walkover to France’s Arthur Fils. In that match, Rune hit two aces, committing just one double fault. He won 59% of his first serve and 54% of his second serve.

On the other hand, Milos Raonic is entering this match after his early exit from the Paris Olympics. Germany’s Dominik Koepfer defeated him in a hard-fought battle in the singles event. The most interesting fact from that match was Raonic firing 29 aces against the German! He committed ten double faults and won 83% and 44% of his first and second serve, respectively. If we look at his record this season, Raonic’s best result has been reaching the quarter-finals on two occasions in his previous tournaments.

Rune vs Raonic: Head-to-Head

Both of these tennis stars were supposed to play against each other in the R64 of the 2024 Indian Wells Masters, but Milos Raonic was forced to pull out from that matchup due to an injury. So, this will be their first meeting in their careers. Raonic is currently ranked 180th in the world, but this former world number 3 brings vast experience on the court. Holger Rune, on the other hand, brings in the firepower. Although the youngster has looked a bit shaky at times this year, he will surely be hungry to get some wins in his bag before taking his flight to New York.

Prediction: Rune to win in three sets

Beating the Canadian on his home soil in front of a full-house stadium won’t be easy, but Holger Rune is well capable of causing a few upsets! Currently, the Dane is ranked 17th in the world, and he’s keen to get back to the Top 10. His win-loss record for this season is 28-16, while it’s just 6-6 for the Canadian. Raonic has struggled with numerous injuries in the last few years, which has been a major cause of his drop in the rankings.

However, one must not forget his power-packed game! Milos Raonic supposedly has one of the most powerful and accurate serves on the Tour. Even his groundstrokes are equally lethal, but his forehand is stronger than his backhand. He often tends to dictate the play, and his aggressive playing style draws in a lot of winners and unforced errors. Raonic loves coming to the net and displaying his brilliant net play to finish off points.

Holger Rune is also at times seen doing the same, but his defensive skills are much better than the Canadian’s. Rune can use his solid forehand and consistent backhand to effectively dominate his opponents from any corner of the court. Raonic is not a very good mover around the court, and his return of serve is equally a weak point in his game. Although he prefers playing on hard courts, if we look at Rune’s current form, it seems the Dane would most likely come up with a solid start in this tournament.